Hoover boys’ soccer hangs Glendale out to dry

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Hoover’s Romio Sislian is piled on after scoring against Glendale in a Pacific League boys’ soccer game at Glendale High School on Friday, January 20, 2017. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Hoover’s Steven Avelar just misses the header on a crossing ball with Glendale defenders Harut Malkon and Matthew Clingerman in a Pacific League boys’ soccer game at Glendale High School on Friday, January 20, 2017. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Glendale’s Haik Kolsuzyan is called for a foul as he crashes into Hoover’s Steven Avelar who heads the ball clear in a Pacific League boys’ soccer game at Glendale High School on Friday, January 20, 2017. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Hoover’s Jonathan Hernandez gets the back of his head on the ball off of a corner kick with Glendale’s Harut Malkon defending in a Pacific League boys’ soccer game at Glendale High School on Friday, January 20, 2017. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Glendale’s Ricardo Alejo takes the ball off of the nose on a header attempt in front of Hoover’s Jesus Rodriguez in a Pacific League boys’ soccer game at Glendale High School on Friday, January 20, 2017. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Hoover’s goalie Anthony Flores sits on the ball to make a save off of a Glendale shot in a Pacific League boys’ soccer game at Glendale High School on Friday, January 20, 2017. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Hoover’s head coach Ace Metallinos works to coach his team during the game against Glendale in a Pacific League boys’ soccer game at Glendale High School on Friday, January 20, 2017. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Glendale’s head coach Artur Aghasyan comes off the field after questioning a yellow card given to one of his players during the game against Hoover in a Pacific League boys’ soccer game at Glendale High School on Friday, January 20, 2017. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Glendale’s Haik Kolsuzyan heads the ball forward with Hoover’s Vladimir Centeno jumping to try and win the ball in a Pacific League boys’ soccer game at Glendale High School on Friday, January 20, 2017. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Hoover’s goalie Anthony Flores makes a stop against Glendale in a Pacific League boys’ soccer game at Glendale High School on Friday, January 20, 2017. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Glendale’s Harut Malkon and Hoover’s Jesus Rodriguez battle for a bouncing ball in a Pacific League boys’ soccer game at Glendale High School on Friday, January 20, 2017. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Hoover’s Jonathan Hernandez runs out of the Glendale goal after scoring on a rebounded crossing ball that landed in front of him in a Pacific League boys’ soccer game at Glendale High School on Friday, January 20, 2017. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Glendale’s Athletic Director Alan Eberhart walks on the sidelines before the start of the soccer game between Glendale and Hoover at Glendale High School on Friday, January 20, 2017. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Glendale’s Shahe Tomas gets up to head the ball over Hoover’s Jonathan Hernandez in a Pacific League boys’ soccer game at Glendale High School on Friday, January 20, 2017. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Glendale’s Haik Kolsuzyan and Hoover’s Jose Aguilar battle for the ball in a Pacific League boys’ soccer game at Glendale High School on Friday, January 20, 2017. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Glendale’s Aaron Alexander passes the ball in front of Hoover’s Jose Aguilar in a Pacific League boys’ soccer game at Glendale High School on Friday, January 20, 2017. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Glendale’s Harut Malkon gets up for the header that gets past him onto the head of a teammate in a Pacific League boys’ soccer game at Glendale High School on Friday, January 20, 2017. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Glendale’s goalie Hrack Tahmasian makes a leaping save against Hoover in a Pacific League boys’ soccer game at Glendale High School on Friday, January 20, 2017. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Crescenta Valley’s soccer coach Grant Clark and Burroughs’ soccer coach Michael Kodama sit together at the Glendale-Hoover game after their games were cancelled due to weather in a Pacific League boys’ soccer game at Glendale High School on Friday, January 20, 2017. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Hoover’s Romio Sislian gets up to head the ball over Glendale in a Pacific League boys’ soccer game at Glendale High School on Friday, January 20, 2017. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

By Jeff Tully

Jan. 20, 2017 9:06 PM PT

Glendale —

Hoover High and Glendale were the only Pacific League boys’ soccer teams that were in action Friday.

With heavy rains hitting the area in the morning and early afternoon, all the other league matches were postponed. However, the Tornadoes and Nitros took to the field for the first of their two season rivalry contests and encountered no rain and good field conditions.

Although it took Hoover some time to get going in the cross-town matchup, the Tornadoes were able to step up, limit Glendale’s scoring chances and come away with a 4-0 victory at Moyse Field.

With the postponements, the other league squads will have to make up their contests Monday and Wednesday, in addition to playing their two other scheduled league matches on Tuesday and Friday.

“The three points were great today, but really the main thing about getting this game in today is that we don’t have to play three next week when all of our competitors will have to play three. And some of those teams are going to have to play back to back,” Hoover Coach “Ace” Metallinos said. “It really takes its toll on you when you have to play three in one week.

“I’m just glad that we got it in. The gods smiled on us and the sky cleared up and we didn’t have any rain.”

It was the second straight win by Hoover (11-5-2, 4-3-1 in league) against Glendale (5-6-3, 2-5-1) after the Tornadoes defeated their rival in last season’s regular-season finale, 3-1. That win broke a seven-game winless streak and four-game losing skid against Glendale.

The Nitros couldn’t get much going on offense against the Tornadoes, who limited Glendale’s scoring chances.

“Hoover is a good team and they played well today,” Glendale Coach Artur Agasyan said. “We are really missing that one playmaker who can set things up for us and get things going. That’s why I think that we struggle sometimes on the offensive side. But we’re trying to find different ways to attack and try to finish our opportunities.”

After a scoreless first 20-plus minutes, Hoover broke the stalemate with a goal by Jonathan Hernandez on an assist from Luis Arias in the 23rd minute.

Just two minutes later, the Tornadoes made it 2-0. Kevin Mirzakhanian made a back heel pass to Romio Sislian, who blasted a shot past goalkeeper Hrack Tahmasian.

“I think getting those two goals in that short span really helped our confidence,” Metallinos said.

The 2-0 Hoover lead stuck through the first 40 minutes.

In the second half, the Tornadoes’ Jesus Rodriguez scored on an assist from Hernandez five minutes in. Hoover completed the scoring in the 73rd minute on a goal from Iurii Airapian.

Glendale had a few hard shots in the second half, including one by Alan Trujillo in the 48th minute and another by Haik Kolsuzyan in the 71st minute, but all were stopped by goalkeeper Anthony Flores.

“I love to play against Glendale,” Hernandez said. “We really get up for playing against them and it’s like a classic. It’s nice to be the best team in the city.”